About Me

I am a full time stay at home and homeschooling mamma. My children learn from every single thing I do so I choose to teach them life lessons as much as I can each day. We strive to find joy in the little things and to be both frugal and thrifty in all things!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Just wanted to make a quick apology for the lack of updates recently. My goal is to keep this site up and running and to make various improvements in the near future. Right now, we are just dealing with some personal family commitments that make it impossible to get anything 'extra' completed - job changes, moving and more! Please bear with me and the new Bargain Meals will return as soon as I can throw it back into the juggling routine! And, please leave me a comment if there is something you'd appreciate added to this blog in the future!!!! :)

Friday, June 19, 2009

This week, Fry's stores are featuring some terrific 99 cent deals. Be sure to look at your print ad when you head to the store to stock up on some good buys this week! Here's another great bargain meal featuring items on sale at Fry's stores this week....

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Tonight, I had the chance to try a wonderful new recipe - and you can too thanks to the great sales at Fry's this week! Almost every ingredient for this great dish is on sale at Fry's stores this week! And, it is a crock pot recipe so it will provide you a quick way to toss dinner together and let your crock pot slave away for you all day, making dinner time a snap!

I did not have the chance to put this soup together until mid-afternoon but was so anxious to try it that I couldn't put it off until tomorrow. To speed up cooking time, I used my food processor to shred the potatoes instead of cutting them all into cubes. This made the potatoes cook quickly and our soup was still ready for dinner (with cooking on high). The whole family loved this recipe, served with homemade rolls.

We only used half of the package of bacon for garnishing our bowls so the other half package is chopped and ready for breakfast scramble or burritos tomorrow!

Thanks for stopping by - please be sure to check in for more great bargain meal ideas using current grocery ads throughout each sales week!

Friday, June 12, 2009

This week, I am looking forward to our shopping day so I can grab some great deals at Albertson’s.I personally prefer their boneless skinless chicken breast over the other stores because they are full breasts (heart shaped) which grill up wonderfully and then provide some extra meat for meals later in the week.This week, boneless skinless chicken is featured at only $1.67 per pound so I’m happy to be able to add a few packages to our freezer for summer grilling in later weeks.

Summer in Arizona means HEAT so we do a lot of grilling and add simple sides like fresh fruits or vegetables.This provides us with meals that pack a nutritious punch, even when none of us feel much like eating at all in the high heat.

Be sure to check out the print ad when you visit your Albertson’s store this week as the front page includes several in-ad coupons that may interest your family!

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Thanks for coming by to check out this week’s Bargain Meals at Safeway stores! I am excited to be part of Erin’s team providing money savings tips and suggestions for frugal meals each week!

With the Memorial Day holiday being celebrated by many this weekend, it is a great time to add some grilling to your menus! The following sale items are valid 05/20 through 05/26/09.

Be sure to check out the print ad when you visit your Safeway store this week as there are several in-ad coupons that may interest your family! In addition to suggested meals below, boneless skinless chicken breasts are also on sale for $1.77 per pound this week!

Thanks for coming by to check out this week’s Bargain Meals at Fry’s! I am excited to be part of Erin’s team providing money savings tips and suggestions for frugal meals each week!

It’s grilling season so there are some terrific items to purchase for your grill time this week! The following sale items are valid 05/20 through 05/26/09.

Be sure to check out the print ad when you visit your Fry’s store this week. There are some wonderful $1 deals this week including – 4 count Angel Soft toilet paper, Betty Crock brownie mixes, Colgate toothpaste and toothbrushes, Dial liquid hand soap, several deodorants and much more!

Items to buy on sale for this meal:Tyson Split Chicken Breast (Bone-in) – 88 cents per pound (first 4 packages)Lay’s potato chips – $3.99 – buy one get one freeDole premium classic salads - $1Roma tomatoes - $1 per poundLeftover makeover – Remove any leftover chicken from bones and reheat with BBQ sauce for quick sandwiches a second day! Both Cattlemen’s and Kraft BBQ sauces are on sale this week for only $1 a bottle!

Meal #2 – Grilled hamburgers and hot dogs with watermelon and corn on the cob

Friday, May 22, 2009

Thanks for coming by to check out this week’s Bargain Meals at Albertson’s! I am excited to be part of Erin’s team providing money savings tips and suggestions for frugal meals each week! It’s grilling season so there are some terrific items to purchase for your grill time this week! The following sale items are valid 05/20 through 05/26/09.

As always, be sure to pick up a print ad when you visit your store and glance through the pages for deals that might work well for your individual family. This week, there are two terrific coupons on the front page of Albertson’s circular. The first is a coupon for $10 off of your $100 or more purchase. If you ask your cashier, they will often allow you to scan this coupon BEFORE any of your manufacturer’s coupons. This makes a great deal!!!

Also, there is a great coupon for pork baby back ribs. The regular price is $6.99 per pound, but, you can buy one pound and get two pounds FREE with in ad coupon. That makes the final price only $2.33 per pound when you purchase three packages. The secret to saving the most with these type of coupons is to get your packages as close as possible to the same weight / price – the register will automatically charge you for the highest priced package and deduct the price of the two smaller priced packages.

Items to buy on sale for this meal:Pork baby back ribs - $6.99 per pound – buy one package, get two packages free with in ad coupon (front page)Corn on the cob – 5 for $1 (limit 10)Seedless watermelon – 50 cents per pound

Monday, May 18, 2009

We are back on the meal planning wagon this week - and I'm so happy to have our plans set! This week, we have two activity days so we planned our meals accordingly. I'm also excited to try out a new recipe on Tuesday which I think will be a huge hit with my kids. I'm going to have one of my older kids (probably my 8 year old) help out with this one as it is assembling a lot of pre-cooked ingredients. I like allowing my children the opportunity to be in charge of meal time when I can to help their self-sufficiency. My 8 year old in particular LOVES to be in charge in the kitchen - and this will add a recipe to his personal food arsenal!

I'm excited to free up some freezer space by cooking a turkey this weekend! Thanks for stopping by! Stop by later in the week for new meal suggestions using current grocery ads! And, be sure to check out hundreds of other great menu plans for this week at Menu Plan Monday!

Do you or your family enjoy cooking with chicken? Do you have a lot of chicken recipes in your personal family favorites?

If so, you may want to take the opportunity to stock up on some chicken this week at Albertson's (sale runs through 05/19/09)! Family Packs of chicken drumsticks, thighs, leg quarters or split breasts are on sale for just 77 cents per pound. Whole fryers are also included at this sale price. The best buy of this deal (in my opinion) is the split chicken breast. When bone-in chicken breasts are on sale, I like to buy a few packages, cook and debone the breasts and freeze the cooked chicken in freezer bags, portioned for our favorite chicken meals.

This week, I purchased one large package of chicken breasts and was able to add enough chicken to our freezer for a full week of chicken recipes! By only having chicken once or twice a week, that means we are set for about a month of our favorite chicken casseroles.

Try this recipe for making your own cooked chicken! The crock pot will cook away for you while you complete the other tasks of your busy day - and you will also make your house smell great! Or, put your chicken on to cook on the low setting when you go to bed in the evening and it will be finished cooking in the morning.

Place all ingredients on crock-pot. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours. I love the fact that I can just put the ingredients in my crock-pot and the chicken cooks by itself while I do other things. If you do not have a crock-pot, simply put the ingredients in a large pot on the back burner of the stove and allow the pot to simmer.

Allow chicken time to cool and then remove from bones. You have several cups of usable chicken all ready for any of your favorite chicken casseroles or recipes. You can also use frozen chicken parts with this recipe. Cooking the chicken on low allows you to start this cooking before bed at night and have cooked chicken ready in the morning – all ready for use in a casserole for dinner that night! This recipe adds a terrific smell to the kitchen versus simply boiling a pot of chicken parts.

Here are a few recipes for you to use your cooked chicken as well, and possibly help you find a new family favorite or two!

Buying the chicken on sale and adding to your freezer stock helps you to have some easy go-to recipes for busy nights as well as helps your budget on weeks when the sales may be missing your favorite items! Have a terrific week - and thanks for stopping by!

Friday, May 15, 2009

I am sorry to have missed posting some bargain meals for last week’s sales cycle. However, I am back this week and happy to be part of the Bargain Meals of the Week feature at $5 Dinners! Here are a few thrifty meal ideas for this week based upon Safeway’s advertised sales running this week (05/13 through 05/19/09).

Be sure to check out your store’s print ad as there are some great sale prices this week on cereal products (see bottom of front page). Another item I’m going to make sure I pick up this week are Nabisco Snak Saks – these are on sale for $1 per bag and they make the perfect on the go snack! We like the mini Oreos and Nutter Butters as well as the Animal Crackers and Teddy Grahams.

Items to buy on sale for this meal:Rancher’s Reserve Beef Top Sirloin Steak, boneless – $3.47 per poundCorn on the cob – 50 cents per ear

Leftover Makeover – cut up any leftover pieces of steak and use for beef fajitas

Thank you so much for stopping by this week! Check back next week for more great ideas using the Safeway’s current grocery sales. And, check back throughout this week for more ideas creating affordable meals with other store advertised specials!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Last month, I went on a search to find some recipes that utilize bone-in pork picnic roast. This particular cut of meat has been on sale several times in the last month or two and I am still trying to find the time to try out some new recipes to maximize these great savings. This week, Albertson's is featuring Pork Picnic Roast for only 99 cents per pound. I still think it would be worth experimenting with this cut of meat. I love trying new recipes when I can obtain the main ingredients at a bargain price! Here is a re-post of some recipes I think may be a great fit for this pork roast.

Pork Machaca - sounds easy and like a great starter for several meals (plus, I LOVE something that will utilize my crock pot while I can accomplish other household and school tasks with our family)

Traditional Pork Tamales - I have not had the time to ever try making homemade tamales, but it is one thing I hope to learn in the not-too-distant future. This recipe calls for a large pork roast and may be a perfect use of this sale cut.

Green Chili with Pork - this is another recipe that just sounds like an easy and delicious way to prepare pork. I love that green chilies are a tame enough chili to add some great flavor without being so hot that the kids in the family need to have a separate dinner. This is suggested as a filling for burritos or as a stew with a side of tortillas. Yum!

Pulled Pork - I typically make my pulled pork sandwiches using my pressure cooker but am looking forward to trying this slow roasted version to see how they compare - the reviews merit a trial of this new recipe! Slow cooking should make the meat fall off the bone and be an easy way to separate the bones from this roast for a speedy preparation at dinner time.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork - another recipe that sounds great for the crock pot. The carbonation of the soda in this recipe should result in a VERY tender meat! We use a small amount of carbonated beverage (usually either Pepsi or Sprite) when we cook beef roasts or brine a turkey so this should result in a similar, wonderful flavor!

(Yet Another!) Crock Pot Pulled Pork - this recipe calls for a boneless pork roast but I think this bone-in roast would work just as well. This recipe intrigues me as it calls for apple cider vinegar and that is the key ingredient in my pressure cooker pulled pork recipe that makes everyone want more! I think the chipotle powder would also give an excellent flavor.

Thanks for checking out these meal suggestions for turning a thrifty cut of meat into a great meal! I will be sure to share personal reviews of any of the recipes above that I am able to try in the coming days - and would love to hear from you if you do the same! :)Be sure to check back next week for more great ideas cooking with our current sales!

I am sorry to have missed posting some bargain meals for last week’s sales cycle. However, I am back this week and happy to be part of the Bargain Meals of the Week feature at $5 Dinners! Here are a few thrifty meal ideas for this week based upon Albertson’s advertised sales running this week (05/13 through 05/19/09).

Thank you so much for stopping by this week! Check back next week for more great ideas using the Albertson’s current grocery sales. And, check back throughout this week for more ideas creating affordable meals with other store advertised specials!

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

I am sorry to have missed posting some bargain meals for last week’s sales cycle. However, I am back this week and happy to be part of the Bargain Meals of the Week feature at $5 Dinners! Here are a few thrifty meal ideas for this week based upon Fry’s advertised sales running this week (05/13 through 05/19/09).

Thank you so much for stopping by this week! Check back next week for more great ideas using the Fry’s current grocery sales. And, check back throughout this week for more ideas creating affordable meals with other store advertised specials!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

A few weeks ago, I noticed that Albertson's had a great sale on bone-in, whole pork butt roast (my kids laugh uncontrollably every time they hear "butt" roast). I still have not had the opportunity to try cooking with this particular cut of meat. However, it is on sale again this week - this time at Fry's stores.

They will allow you to purchase two whole pork roasts at a price of 99 cents per pound. To see some recipe ideas using this bargain cut of meat, check out my prior post. I'd love to hear any great recipes you have for using this bone-in pork as well. I am hoping to eat enough items from our freezer this week to make room for one or two and try our hand at some new recipes!

Friday, May 1, 2009

I am excited to be part of the Bargain Meals of the Week feature at $5 Dinners! Check the site every week for terrific meal ideas that won’t break your budget! Contributors use the current store sales to put together thrifty meals for your family. Here are a few meal ideas for this week based upon Fry’s advertised sales running this week (04/29 through 05/05/09).

Thank you so much for stopping by this week! Check back next week for more great ideas using the Fry’s current grocery sales. And, check back throughout this week for more ideas creating affordable meals with other store advertised specials!

I am excited to be part of the Bargain Meals of the Week feature at $5 Dinners! Check the site every week for terrific meal ideas that won’t break your budget! Contributors use the current store sales to put together thrifty meals for your family. Here are a few meal ideas for this week based upon Albertson’s advertised sales running this week (04/29 through 05/05/09).

Be sure to look at the Albertson’s store ad when you head into the store as they are also offering some great $1 items this week. If you are a couponer, there are also some terrific matches to save even more!

Another great buy at Albertson’s this week is their 8 count packages of Gatorade. You can buy two 8 count packages for $3.99 each and they will have $2 off coupons either attached to the bottles or available at register – giving you a great price of only $1.99 for 8 small Gatorades!

Thank you so much for stopping by this week! Check back next week for more great ideas using the Albertson’s current grocery sales. And, check back throughout this week for more ideas creating affordable meals with other store advertised specials!

Saturday, April 25, 2009

This week, Albertson’s is featuring some good prices on various cuts of meat. Check both the front and inside the ad for various types of beef and pork on sale.

Moran’s ground beef (96% lean) and ground beef patties are both featured on sale as buy one pound, get a second pound free. The best way to work this sale to your advantage is to find two packages as close to the same weight as possible. The register will charge you full price on the heavier package and reduce the total price of the second, lighter package. If your packages are the same weight, you will end up paying $2.50 per pound for this lean beef.

Boneless pork sirloin chops are featured as buy one pound, get TWO pounds free (with coupon from front page of the ad). The best way to use this sale is to get THREE packages as close to the same weight as possible. Getting three packages of the same weight would make this pork only $1.33 a pound – a great price!

I feel very fortunate to be included in the Bargain Meals of the Week feature at $5 Dinners! Check the site every week for terrific meal ideas using the current store sales! Here are a few meal ideas for this week based upon Albertson’s advertised sales running this week (04/22 through 04/28/09).

Thank you so much for stopping by this week! Check back next week for more great ideas using the Albertson’s current grocery sales. And, check back throughout this week for more ideas creating affordable meals with other store advertised specials!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

This week, Fry’s has some tremendous $1 deals – be sure to check out your ad before making a shopping trip to Fry’s this week for some terrific bargains! I feel very fortunate to be included in the Bargain Meals of the Week feature at $5 Dinners! Check the site every week for terrific meal ideas using the current store sales!

Here are a few meal ideas for this week based upon Fry’s advertised sales running this week (04/22 through 04/28/09).

Pudding pops:Place a stick or spoon into each of the four count puddings and freeze until firm.Hunt’s Snack Pack puddings – 4 count - $1

Thank you so much for stopping by this week! Check back next week for more great ideas using the Fry’s current grocery sales. And, check back throughout this week for more ideas creating affordable meals with other store advertised specials!

Items to buy on sale for this meal:Boneless skinless chicken breasts – $1.67 per poundFresh cauliflower and broccoli – 77 cents per pound

Kroger mini carrots - 1 lb. bag - $1

(An easy way to change your steamed vegetables into a great side dish is to mix one can of cream of mushroom soup with your steamed vegetables. Mix together and the heat from the cooked vegetables will allow you to mix together the vegetables and sauce easily. And, it adds a great flavor!)

Thanks for checking in to see some of favorite meals using ingredients on sale this week at Fry’s stores. Check out $5 Dinners for more great bargain meal suggestions - and stop by again next week for more thrifty menu ideas!

Items to buy on sale for this meal:USDA Choice Boneless Beef London Broil - $1.87 per poundSweet corn on the cob – 20 cents per earRusset potatoes – 88 cents per pound

Leftover make-over – Shred up any leftover roast beef and add some of your favorite BBQ sauce for easy BBQ beef sandwiches! Or, use leftover shredded roast for tacos or burritos by adding a can of green chilies and some salsa for a great filling!

Thanks for checking in to see some of favorite meals using ingredients on sale this week at Albertson’s stores. Check out $5 Dinners for more great bargain meal suggestions - and stop by again next week for more thrifty menu ideas!

Leftover make-over – Shred up any leftover roast beef and add some of your favorite BBQ sauce for easy BBQ beef sandwiches! Or, use leftover shredded roast for tacos or burritos by adding a can of green chilies and some salsa for a great filling!

Items to buy on sale for this meal:Strawberries – one pound container – 88 cents

Thanks for checking in to see some of favorite meals using ingredients on sale this week at Safeway stores. Check out $5 Dinners for more great bargain meal suggestions - and stop by again next week for more thrifty menu ideas!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

I feel fortunate to be included in the Bargain Meal of the Week feature at $5 Dinners! Check out their site for great bargain meal suggestions each and every week. Here are a few menus to try this week based upon Fry’s advertised sales running this week (04/08 through 04/14/09).

In our family, we have a lot of “familiar” meals that we use throughout each month. These are the starting point of our meal plans – the things I know my family will eat again and again. I will often try one or two new recipes a week based on the weekly sales or recipes that I find appealing and want to sample. You may, as a result, see some repeats in our menus. But, that is why I always try to offer at least two meal suggestions for each store – to help you find at least one bargain meal your family might enjoy from our selections!

Thanks for stopping by to see our meal suggestions based on what is on sale this week at Fry’s stores. Check out $5 Dinners for more great bargain meal suggestions - and stop by again next week for more thrifty menu ideas!

I feel fortunate to be included in the Bargain Meal of the Week feature at $5 Dinners! Check out their site for great bargain meal suggestions each and every week. Here are a few menus to try this week based upon Albertson’s advertised sales running this week (04/08 through 04/14/09).

In our family, we have a lot of “familiar” meals that we use throughout each month. These are the starting point of our meal plans – the things I know my family will eat again and again. I will often try one or two new recipes a week based on the weekly sales or recipes that I find appealing and want to sample. You may, as a result, see some repeats in our menus. But, that is why I always try to offer at least two meal suggestions for each store – to help you find at least one bargain meal your family might enjoy from our selections!

This week, Albertson’s has some WONDERFUL meat sales. Their boneless skinless chicken breast and boneless whole pork loin are each $1.57 per pound. This is a definite stock up price and I know I will be trying to make room to stash a few packages of each in my freezer this week. You can ask the butcher at your store to cut the pork loin for you and they will cut it into chops or roast for you free of charge!

Thanks for stopping by to see our meal suggestions based on what is on sale this week at Alberston’s stores. Check out $5 Dinners for more great bargain meal suggestions - and stop by again next week for more thrifty menu ideas!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

I had the time to search a little and found a few recipes online that sound like a wonderful way to use some of the bone-in pork picnic roast on sale at Albertson's this week. I felt that, at only 99 cents per pound, it was worth experimenting with this cut of meat. Now, if it were a cut of fish on sale for $8 a pound, I'd leave it alone! :) I'd love to hear if anyone has any great tried and true recipes using bone-in pork!

Pork Machaca - sounds easy and like a great starter for several meals (plus, I LOVE something that will utilize my crock pot while I can accomplish other household and school tasks with our family)

Traditional Pork Tamales - I have not had the time to ever try making homemade tamales, but it is one thing I hope to learn in the not-too-distant future. This recipe calls for a large pork roast and may be a perfect use of this sale cut.

Green Chili with Pork - this is another recipe that just sounds like an easy and delicious way to prepare pork. I love that green chilies are a tame enough chili to add some great flavor without being so hot that the kids in the family need to have a separate dinner. This is suggested as a filling for burritos or as a stew with a side of tortillas. Yum!

Pulled Pork - I typically make my pulled pork sandwiches using my pressure cooker but am looking forward to trying this slow roasted version to see how they compare - the reviews merit a trial of this new recipe! Slow cooking should make the meat fall off the bone and be an easy way to separate the bones from this roast for a speedy preparation at dinner time.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork - another recipe that sounds great for the crock pot. The carbonation of the soda in this recipe should result in a VERY tender meat! We use a small amount of carbonated beverage (usually either Pepsi or Sprite) when we cook beef roasts or brine a turkey so this should result in a similar, wonderful flavor!

(Yet Another!) Crock Pot Pulled Pork - this recipe calls for a boneless pork roast but I think this bone-in roast would work just as well. This recipe intrigues me as it calls for apple cider vinegar and that is the key ingredient in my pressure cooker pulled pork recipe that makes everyone want more! I think the chipotle powder would also give an excellent flavor.

Thanks for checking out these meal suggestions for turning a thrifty cut of meat into a great meal! I will be sure to share personal reviews of any of the recipes above that I am able to try in the coming days - and would love to hear from you if you do the same! :)

Be sure to check back next week for more great ideas cooking with our current sales!

Saturday, April 4, 2009

You can check out Safeway's online grocery circular for some great bargain products. Here are a few menu suggestions for this week based upon Safeway’s advertised sales. Each meal also has a tip to use up any leftovers! Enjoy!

Original recipe poster suggested using the sauce leftover from these ribs as a topping for pasta a second night. You can also shred any leftover pork to use as barbeque sandwich filling - or as a starter for burrito, taco or enchilada filling.

Roast beef is one of the best leftovers! You can slice it thin and serve with gravy over toast for open faced roast beef sandwiches (don't forget the mashed potatoes if you choose this route - yummy!).

You can add barbeque sauce for quick and easy sandwiches (on toast or hamburger buns). You can also spice it up a bit and use it as topping for shredded beef nachos or tostadas! Or, my family loves to use shredded roast beef for filling burritos and tacos as well.

It is very cost effective to make a large roast and plan for one or more of these leftover remakes later in the week. You can even reuse your beef gravy as part of the sauce with many of these options!

Thanks for stopping by to see our meal suggestions based on what is on sale this week at Safeway stores. Check out $5 Dinners for more great bargain meal suggestions - and stop by again next week for more thrifty menu ideas!

Friday, April 3, 2009

Here are some menus to try based upon Albertson’s advertised sales running this week (04/01 through 04/07/09). Check the weekly circular for some great 10 for $10 deals this week as well. Remember, you can mix and match these items – you do not need to buy 10 of the same item to take advantage of the great savings offered.

If you are on the look-out for a good movie deal, there is a coupon in the current Albertson’s ad for $5 off when you buy any 2 DVDs priced at $9.99 or above. This could work out to a great deal for an affordable Easter basket addition! Check your local store for individual titles and pricing. (Disney Favorites are shown in ad for $14.99 each and the new releases, Marley and Me or Slumdog Millionaire, for $16.99 each)

Bone in pork picnic roast is also 99 cents per pound. Sounds like a great price but I’m not familiar with any recipes using this cut. I will be sure to post any suggestions I find for this particular cut of meat if I have the opportunity to explore that option more. These ideas will hopefully help you to start your thrifty meal plans for this week!

Thanks for stopping by to see our meal suggestions based on what is on sale this week at Phoenix and Tucson metro area Albertson’s stores. Check out $5 Dinners for more great bargain meal suggestions - and please be sure to stop by again next week for more thrifty menu ideas!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

This week, Fry’s is having a special 8 hour sale on specific items from 3 to 11 pm on Thursday, April 2nd. If you are in your store during these hours, be sure to check the advertised specials for some possible bargains. Also, be sure to ask for a rain check if they are out of any of the 8 hour advertised specials so you can still get a great deal if their current stock is depleted.

Here are some menus to try based upon Fry’s advertised sales running this week (04/01 through 04/07/09). Consider stocking up on the meats that are on sale this week if you have freezer space to store them. It will make your future meals more affordable during a week where these meats are not sale priced.

Thanks for stopping by to see our meal suggestions based on what is on sale this week at Fry’s. Check out $5 Dinners for more great bargain meal suggestions - and stop by again next week for more thrifty menu ideas!

Friday, March 27, 2009

This week, Safeway is repeating their Buy 10, Save $5 promotion that appeared in last week's ad. Check out their online ad or in-store circular for some great deals. Items include in this promotion are indicated in shopping lists below.

(My local butcher informed me that Swai is a Vietnamese catfish so this recipe calls for catfish but should easily work for the Swai fillets. We cooked some Swai fillets on the grill a few weeks ago and found it a bit salty but felt that may have been due to our particular seasoning so I'm looking forward to trying this recipe soon.)

(My favorite way to make BBQ sandwiches is to serve roast one night, then shred the remaining roast leftovers and serve them with BBQ sauce on our favorite bread or rolls as sandwiches a day or two later - two great meals for the price of one cut of meat! Plus, it reinvents your leftovers so your family is more likely to enjoy them a second time.)

Thanks for stopping by to see our meal suggestions based on what is on sale this week at Safeway. Check out $5 Dinners for more great bargain meal suggestions - and stop by again next week for more thrifty menu ideas!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

This week, Fry's has a terrific buy on whole chickens - only 57 cents per pound! You can buy 4 whole chickens at this price and store a few in your freezer for upcoming weeks. If you have room, you may even consider a second trip to Fry's during the sale cycle to really stock up at this price. I'm

providing a few meal options this week using this bargain priced poultry!

After Meal #1, take a few minutes to completely de-bone your chicken. Get every single piece of chicken off of the bones and stash it in the fridge for the next two meals. Also save the chicken bones as we will use them for Meal #3! Reusing the leftovers from one meal by using them as the basis for another meal is a great way to stretch your grocery dollars. Plus, it helps minimize complaints from family members about eating leftovers!

Use the chicken bones to make homemade chicken stock in your crock pot. Then use this as the chicken broth in your soup (if using recipe above - which is very, very, very yummy - use cooked chicken in place of chicken breasts and broth in place of water and chicken bouillon cubes).

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy this leftover's remake meal plan for the week. Check out more great bargain meals at $5 Dinners and please be sure to stop by again next week for more thrifty meals cooking with weekly sales!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

A reader commented on my weekly menu plan from this past week asking for more information about how we make fry bread (also known as Navajo Tacos). I thought I'd share the details as a post in case anyone else was wondering how to make fry bread. I was surprised to recently discover that my family is in the minority in having fry bread in our home. Most people tend to see it as an item they purchase at fairs or other venues. But, once you try your own and realize how easy and yummy they can be, I bet they will be added to your family's meal plans too! I have tried to be detailed in my descriptions below and I hope the information helps someone else. I will do my best to post photos soon of the process as well.

First, I typically make fry bread a few days after we have chili for dinner. I make a double batch of chili to ensure leftovers. :) This takes a big step out of the fry bread preparation because chili works great as a meat and bean topping on the cooked bread.

I use a fry bread dough recipe and mix it up per recipe instructions. We used this recipe recently when we had a large family gathering and needed a lot of dough. It worked out well because you did not have to wait for the dough to rise before shaping and cooking. This made it easy to mix up additional batches for more servings or for dessert (a bit more on that in a minute). When dinner time is a busy time, it is also nice to be able to mix up the dough and keep moving forward, rather than having to stall a half hour to allow rising time.

Once your dough is ready, preheat oil in a nonstick pan on stove, or use your deep fryer to heat oil. Start with balls of dough about the size of a golf ball and roll as thin as you can with a rolling pin. The dough will puff up once it hits the hot oil and you want a thin piece of dough to be able to get the entire piece cooked through without burning.

When oil is hot (test by dropping one or two small beads of water into the oil and see if it sizzles), drop your first piece of dough into the oil. Watch it, allowing time to cook on the first side. Once it is browned, flip it over and allow second side time to brown as well. When second side is brown, remove from oil and allow to drain on paper towels while you cook the remainder of your dough. Now is the time to assess how the first one cooked - did you roll your dough out thin enough or too thin? Did the piece of dough fit in the pan you are using or could it be a bigger or smaller circle and fit better? (you can adjust the size of your ball of dough bigger or smaller than the golf ball based on the first one's results) Did you cook long enough on each side? With these factors in mind, you can make small adjustments in the size and thickness of your bread as you finish frying the remainder of your dough.

Fry the remainder of your dough, placing each piece of cooked bread on paper towels to drain excess oil. When you are finished, serve each piece of bread with your choice of toppings. We typically put on the reheated chili (meat and beans), sprinkle with shredded cheese, then chopped lettuce and tomatoes, some sour cream and salsa. You can tailor the toppings to suit your family's tastes and this is a great time to set out individual bowls with all the toppings and allow the whole family to pile on their favorites.

Some people prefer shredded beef and cooked beans on their fry bread instead of chili. This option would be an easy way to use leftover roast beef. You can simply reheat canned chili beans or pinto beans for the bean portion with this option. (or, if you have time, cook your own dry beans)

Another hint we have found is that it is much easier to eat if we tear up the bread into bite sized pieces on our plates BEFORE adding all the toppings. When intact, the bread is a large round that you can lift and eat, but which is very hard to cut with a fork. With younger kids, we have found it is easier at the table to break the bread into bite sized pieces and then pile on their toppings. Then, they can easily (and more neatly) eat it with a fork. And, there is less chance of all of their toppings being wasted too.

If you have leftover pieces of bread already fried, a great dessert option is to drizzle with honey and add either sprinkled powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar. My children look forward to their honey bread more than their Navajo taco version in most cases! With the no-rise dough recipe, it is also an easy way to fry half of your dough for dinner and then leave the remaining dough for dessert. After dinner has been completed, fry up the remaining dough for warm bread with honey and sugar topping.

We missed our fry bread in this week's meal rotation but may have to make some soon to compensate as typing up our tips and how-to has made me hungry for it myself! :) I hope someone finds this information helpful. I'd love to hear how your recipe turns out when you try your own at-home fry bread! Please share your results. :)

This week, Albertson's has a great deal on a few items that are regulars on your shopping list. Gallons of Albertson's milk are 2 for $3 (limit 2) and Oroweat bread is $1.88 per package in great, healthy varieties. Jimmy Dean bacon is also on sale for buy one package at $4.49, get two free (with in ad coupon) - 3 packages of bacon for $4.49. I wouldn't recommend bacon every day, but it, at this price, it would make a nice addition to a weekend breakfast, for sure!

Here are some meal ideas based on some of the cuts of meat on sale this week at Albertson's!

While at Albertson's, you may also want to pick up a 4 pound box of fresh strawberries for only $4.77. The boxes at my local store looked and taste wonderful!!! It would be a great snack, breakfast item, or start of strawberry shortcake for dessert. You may even be brave enough to try some homemade jam to preserve the sweetness a bit longer.

Have a wonderful week and please be sure to check back next week for more meal ideas based on our current store ads.